Foot switch for a computer

ABSTRACT

In an input unit ( 3 ) which can be operated by foot for a computer ( 1 ) which forms a dictating machine with foot-operated input means ( 24 ) for manually inputting control information (SI) by which information an audio reproduction mode of the dictating machine can be activated ( 25 ) or deactivated ( 26 ), and which, with activated audio reproduction mode, can deliver audio information (AI) stored in the dictating machine as an analog audio signal (AS 3 ) to headphones ( 34 ) or a loudspeaker ( 32 ) respectively, and includes connection means ( 28, 33, 35 ) for connecting the input unit ( 3 ) to the computer ( 1 ) while the control information (SI) can be delivered to the computer ( 1 ) via the connection means ( 28, 33, 35 ), the connection means ( 28, 33, 35 ) are arranged for receiving the audio information (AI) as digital audio data from the computer ( 1 ) and for delivering the control information (SI) to the computer ( 1 ) over a digital data bus link and the headphones ( 34 ) or the loudspeaker can be connected to the connection means ( 28, 33, 35 ).

The invention relates to an input unit as defined in the introductorypart of claim 1.

Such a foot-operated input unit as defined in the introductory part ofclaim 1 is known from document WO 97/34407 and is in the form of a footswitch. The known foot switch has connection means by which the footswitch can be connected to a game port of a computer for deliveringcontrol information. To the computer can further be connected an inputamplifier to which a microphone is connected, an output amplifier towhich headphones are connected, a keyboard and a monitor. A computerincludes an A/D converter stage, a D/A converter stage and audio storagemeans.

With the computer it is possible to run an application program in whicha dictation mode can be activated wherein the computer forms a dictatingmachine. In an activated dictation mode, a speech communication of adictation uttered by a user into the microphone is amplified as ananalog audio signal by the input amplifier, processed by the A/Dconverter stage and stored as digital audio information in the audiostorage means of the computer.

During the application program can furthermore be activated an audioreproduction mode in which the digital audio information stored in theaudio storage means is processed by the D/A converter stage anddelivered to the headphones as an analog audio signal amplified by theoutput amplifier. A secretary can listen to the speech informationreproduced by the headphones and write corresponding text informationwith the keyboard of the computer after which the text information isdisplayed on the monitor.

The foot switch comprises foot-operated switches which form foot inputmeans. The secretary can, by actuating the switches with a foot,generate control information which can be delivered to the computerthrough the game port and which activates or deactivates the audioreproduction mode to have the hands free for writing with the keyboard.

In the known foot-operated input unit for a computer it has proved to bedisadvantageous that the headphones are to be connected to the computerby a separate cable for the reproduction of audio information stored inthe audio storage means, which is not simple for the user because of themany connection possibilities with a computer.

The input amplifier and output amplifier mentioned above are oftenprovided on a soundcard in a computer, which soundcard has usually onlyone input connection for a microphone and only one output connection forheadphones or a loudspeaker. The disadvantage is then that a computercan only be used as a dictating machine when both a soundcard with threeconnections and a free-game port connection are available.

Furthermore, it has proved to be disadvantageous that the transmissionof control information via the game port of the computer does notfunction very reliably and sometimes an undesired mode of theapplication program is activated.

It is an object of the invention to provide an input unit that can beoperated with a foot, in which unit the disadvantages of the known inputunit do not occur. This object is achieved with a foot-operated inputunit as defined in the introductory part of claim 1 by the measures ofthe characterizing part of claim 1.

According to the measures as claimed in claim 1 there is achieved thatthe loudspeaker or headphones, which have connection means for settingup a digital data bus link, can be directly connected to the input unit.Digital audio data received via the connection means of the headphonesor of the loudspeaker can be processed and acoustically reproduced byaudio processing means of the headphones or of the loudspeaker.

The direct connection to the input unit of the headphones or loudspeakerfor listening to a dictation offers both the advantage of a simplerinstallation of the connection cable of the headphones or loudspeakerand the advantage that the output connection of the soundcard and of thegame port of the computer are free for other applications. Furthermore,the computer need not have a soundcard to work in the audio reproductionmode as a dictating machine.

When the audio information and control information is transmitted viathe digital data bus link, error correction codes are co-transmittedbecause of which, even in the case of a degraded cable link or adegraded plug-in connector, it is advantageous that there is no loss ofquality of the audio information or of the control information duringthe transmission.

According to the measures as claimed in claim 2, the advantage isobtained that the analog audio signal of the speech information of adictation stored as digital audio data in the audio storage means can bedelivered directly from the connection means of the input unit toconventional analog headphones or an analog loudspeaker.

According to the measures as claimed in claim 3, the advantage isobtained that via a USB data link also a supply voltage and an adequatesupply current can be transmitted which is suitable for supplying powerto the audio processing means of the input unit. Furthermore, already agreat deal of computers include connection means with a USB connectionas a result of which the input unit can be connected to many computers.

According to the measures as claimed in claim 4 the advantage isobtained that audio information stored in the audio storage means can bedirectly delivered as an analog audio signal to the loudspeaker built-inin the input unit and, therefore, no further connection cable isnecessary.

According to the measures as claimed in claim 5 and claim 6, theadvantage is obtained that no cable link is necessary for transmittingthe control information and the audio information.

These and other aspects of the invention are apparent from and will beelucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows in the form of a block diagram a speech recognition deviceto which an input unit that can be held in hand and an input unit thatcan be actuated by foot are connected and which includes text comparingmeans for comparing recognized-text information with corrected textinformation, and which includes transfer means for importing andexporting a speech coefficient indicator.

FIG. 2 shows the input unit that can be held in hand as shown in FIG. 1in the form of a block diagram, which input unit comprises audioprocessing means for processing an analog audio signal and fordelivering digital audio data.

FIG. 3 shows the input unit that can be actuated by foot and is shown inFIG. 1 in the form of a block diagram, to which headphones can beconnected and which includes a built-in loudspeaker.

FIG. 4 shows an adjustment table established by the text comparing meansof the speech recognition device, in which table recognized-textinformation and corrected text information has been entered.

FIG. 1 shows a computer 1 by which a speech recognition programaccording to a speech recognition method is run, which computer 1 formsa dictating machine with a secondary speech recognition device.

To the computer 1 are connected a dictation microphone 2 which forms aninput unit that can be held in hand, a foot switch 3 which forms aninput unit that can be actuated by foot, a monitor 4 and a keyboard 5.FIG. 2 shows the dictation microphone 2 in more detail in the form of ablock diagram.

The dictation microphone 2 has a microphone 6 which forms audioreceiving means and is provided for receiving a speech communicationuttered by a user into the microphone 6 and for delivering a firstanalog audio signal AS1. The dictation microphone 2 further includesaudio processing means 7 which are provided for processing the firstanalog audio signal AS1 and for delivering digital audio data as audioinformation AI.

The audio processing means 7 include a first amplifier stage 8, ananalog-to-digital converter stage A/D 9, a second amplifier stage 10 anda digital-to-analog converter stage D/A 11. The first analog audiosignal AS1 can be applied to the first amplifier stage 8 and theamplified first analog audio signal can be applied to theanalog-to-digital converter stage A/D 9. The analog-to-digital converterstage A/D 9 is provided for sampling the amplified analog audio signalat a sample rate of 16 kHz and for delivering sampled values in digitalaudio data which have 16-bit data blocks and can be delivered as audioinformation AI to USB connecting means 12.

This offers the advantage that the first analog audio signal AS1 isdigitized right in the dictation microphone and that the amplifier stage8 can be adjusted to the maximum output voltage of the microphone 6 asearly as in the manufacturing stage of the dictation microphone 2. Inthis manner, no voice information is lost due to the amplifier stage 8being overmodulated, so that the digital audio information AI containingthe digital audio data has a good quality.

Audio information AI containing a digital audio data can be delivered bythe USB connecting means 12 to the digital-to-analog converter D/A 11 ofthe audio processing means 7. An analog audio signal corresponding tothe digital audio data can be delivered by the digital-to-analogconverter stage D/A 11 to the second amplifier stage 10. A second analogaudio signal AS2 delivered by the second amplifier stage 10 can beapplied to a loudspeaker 13 to be reproduced acoustically.

The dictation microphone 2 further includes input means 14 for manuallyinputting control information SI, which input means include a keyboard15, a track ball 16 and input processing means 17. The keyboard 15 has,inter alia, a record key 18, a stop key 19, a fast forward button 20 anda fast backward button 21. The keyboard 15 can be instrumental in givingkey information TSI to the input processing means 17.

The track ball 16 is formed by a ball embedded in an opening of thedictation microphone 2, which ball can be rotated by the user forpositioning, for example, a cursor displayed on the monitor 4. With thetrack ball 16 it is possible to feed track ball information TBI to theinput processing means 17. The input processing means 17 are providedfor processing the key information TSI and track ball information TBIdelivered thereto and for delivering respective control information SIto the USB connecting means 12.

The USB connecting means 12 can deliver a supply voltage U both to theaudio processing means 7 and to the input means 14 to supply voltage tothe stages contained in the audio processing means 7 and the input means14. This offers the advantage that the dictation microphone 2 receivesboth information and supply voltage U from the stages of the dictationmicrophone 2 via only a single cable link.

The USB connecting means 12 are connected via a connection 22 of thedictation microphone 2 to USB connecting means 23 of the computer 1. TheUSB connecting means 12 of the dictation microphone 2 are arranged forsetting up a digital data bus link and, in addition, advantageously forsetting up an USB data bus link (Universal Serial Bus: Specificationversion 1.0 on Jan. 15, 1996, and version 2.0) to the USB connectingmeans 23 of the computer 1.

On a USB data bus link, error correction codes are added to the audiodata of the audio information AI or control data of the controlinformation SI delivered to the USB connecting means 12 or 23, and theyare collectively transmitted as transmit data UD to the USB connectingmeans 23 or 12. The USB connecting means 12 or 23, by which thetransmitted data UD were received, is provided for evaluating the errorcorrection codes and for correcting, if necessary, errors in the audiodata or the control data, which errors occurred during transmission. Ina USB data bus link, control data of control information SI istransmitted at a data transmission rate of 1.5 MB p.s. and audio data ofaudio information AI at a data transmission rate of 12 MB p.s.

FIG. 3 shows in a detailed manner the foot switch 3 shown in FIG. 1 inthe form of a block diagram. The foot switch 3 has input means 24 forinputting control information SI with a foot. The input means 24 containan audio playback switch 25, a stop switch 26 and input processing means27. Switch information SCI produced by the audio playback switch 25 orthe stop switch 26 can be delivered to the input processing means 27.The input processing means 27 are provided for processing the switchinformation SCI applied thereto and for applying respective controlinformation SI to USB connecting means 28 of the foot switch 3.

The foot switch 3 further includes audio processing means 29, whichcomprise a digital-to-analog converter stage D/A 30 and a thirdamplifier stage 31. Audio information AI containing audio data can beapplied by the USB connecting means 28 to the digital-to-analogconverter stage D/A 30 which delivers to the third amplifier stage 31 ananalog audio signal that corresponds to the audio data. A third analogaudio signal AS3 delivered by the third amplifier stage 31 can beapplied both to a loudspeaker 32 provided in the foot switch 3 and to afirst connection 33 of the foot switch. Headphones 34 are connected tothe first connection 33. With the loudspeaker 32 and the headphones 34it is possible to have an acoustic reproduction of a speechcommunication which will be further discussed hereinafter.

Since the audio processing means 29 are mounted in the foot switch 3,the advantage is obtained that the headphones 34 or a loudspeaker can bedirectly connected to the foot switch 3. As a result, the computer 1,which also forms a dictating machine, need not have a sound card withaudio processing means.

The USB connecting means 28 of the foot switch 3 correspond to the USBconnecting means 12 and 23. The USB connecting means 28 can apply asupply voltage U both to the input processing means 24 and to the audioprocessing means 29 for powering the stages included in the inputprocessing means 24 and the audio processing means 29. This offers theadvantage that the foot switch 3 receives communications as well as thesupply voltage U over only a single cable link.

The USB connecting means 28 of the foot switch 3 are connected to theUSB connecting means 23 of the computer 1 via a second connection 35 ofthe foot switch. The computer 1 includes receiving means 36 whichcomprise the USB connecting means 23 and the audio storage means 37 andare arranged for receiving a speech communication pronounced by aspeaker. A speech communication uttered by a speaker in the microphone 6of the dictation microphone 2 can be transmitted from the USB connectingmeans 12 to the USB connecting means 23 as audio information AIconstituted by digital audio data and from the USB connecting means 23to the audio storage means 37 to be stored as audio information AI.Control information SI applied from the USB connecting means 12 of thedictation microphone 2 or from the USB connecting means 28 of the footswitch 3 to the USB connecting means 23 of the computer 1 can bereceived by the USB connecting means 23 and delivered to further meansof the computer 1 which will be further discussed hereinafter.

The speech recognition device formed by the computer 1 includes speechcoefficient storage means 38 provided for storing a speech coefficientindicator SKI. The speech coefficient indicator SKI contains a speechmodel data SMI, context information WI and phoneme reference informationPRI.

The context information WI is stored in context storage means 39 andcontains all the words that can be recognized in a speech communicationby the speech recognition device and also a word frequency meter whichdenotes the occurrence probability of the word in a speechcommunication. The speech model data SMI is stored in speech modelstorage means 40 and contains word sequences as well as a word sequencefrequency meter, which indicates the frequencies of occurrence of theseword sequences in a speech communication. Phoneme reference informationPRI is stored in phoneme reference storage means 41 and enables anadjustment of the speech recognition device to peculiarities of aspeaker's pronunciation.

The speech recognition device further includes speech recognition means42. The USB connecting means 23 can deliver control information SI tothe speech recognition means 42 for activating a speech recognition modeto implement a speech recognition method. With an activated speechrecognition mode, the speech recognition means 42 are provided forreading audio information AI stored in the audio storage means 37 andfor reading a speech coefficient indicator SKI stored in the speechcoefficient storage means 38.

During the execution of the speech recognition method the speechrecognition means 42 are provided for evaluating the audio informationAI and the speech coefficient indicator SKI. The speech recognitionmeans 42 then determine for each part of the audio information AI aplurality of possible word sequences which correspond to the respectivepart of the audio information AI where appropriate and produce thesepossible word sequences for all parts of the audio information AI aspossible text information PTI. The possible text information PTIcontains, for example, twenty (20) possible word sequences for the audioinformation AI. Furthermore, the speech recognition means 42—when thespeech recognition method is executed—determine each time the mostprobable word sequence for each part of the audio information AI andproduce these most probable word sequences of all the audio informationAI as recognized-text information RTI.

The speech recognition device comprises text storage means 43 forstoring text information. The text storage means 43 containpossible-text storage means 44, recognized-text storage means 45,corrected-text storage means 46 and training-text storage means 47.Possible-text information produced by the speech recognition means 42during the execution of the speech recognition method can be stored inthe possible-text storage means 44 and recognized-text information RTIcan be stored in the recognized-text storage means 45.

The computer 1 is further arranged for running a text-processingprogram—such as, for example, Word For Windows 95—and forms textprocessing means 48. Recognized-text information RTI produced by thespeech recognition means 42 during the execution of the speechrecognition method can be fed to the text processing means 48. The textprocessing means 48 are then arranged for transferring pictureinformation PI containing the recognized-text information RTI to themonitor 4.

With the input means 14 of the dictation microphone 2 there can be inputcontrol information SI which can be applied to the speech recognitionmeans 42 and the text processing means 48 and which activates acorrection mode of the speech recognition device. The text processingmeans 48, the monitor 4 and the keyboard 5 here constitute correctionmeans 49. When the correction mode is activated, a user can, by means ofthe keyboard 5, correct the recognized-text information RTI and storecorrected text information CTI in the corrected-text storage means 46,which will be further discussed hereinafter.

In the training-text storage means 47 is stored training-textinformation TTI which contains typical words of phrases or wordsequences of a certain domain (business letters; field of study:radiology; field of study: law . . . ). Control information SI can beinput by the input means 14 of the dictation microphone 2, which controlinformation can be applied to the speech recognition means 42 and thetext processing means 48 and activates an initial training mode of thespeech recognition device.

When the initial training mode is activated, the text processing means47 are arranged for reading out the training-text information TTI fromthe training-text storage means 47 and for feeding respective pictureinformation PI to the monitor 4. A user can then utter the training textdisplayed on the monitor 4 into the microphone 6 to adjust the speechrecognition device to the user's type of pronunciation.

The speech recognition device has adjusting means 50 for adjusting thespeech coefficient indicator SKI stored in the speech-coefficientstorage means 38 to the type of pronunciation of the user and also towords and word sequences commonly used by the user. The text storagemeans 43, the correction means 49 and the adjusting means 50 togetherform the training means 51. Such an adjustment of the speech coefficientindicator SKI takes place when the initial training mode is activated inwhich the training-text information TTI read by the user is known.

Such an adjustment, however, also takes place in an adjustment mode inwhich text information corresponding to voice information is recognizedas recognized-text information RTI and is corrected by the user intocorrected text information CTI. For this purpose, the training means 51include text comparing means 52, which are arranged for comparing therecognized-text information RTI with the corrected text information CTIand for determining at least a correspondence indicator CI. In the textcomparing means 52 an adjustment table 53 shown in FIG. 4 is establishedwhen the adjustment mode is on, which table will be further explainedhereinafter.

The result of the adjustment, which is adjustment information NI, can besent by the adjusting means 50 to the speech coefficient storage means38, which adjustment information adjusts the stored speech coefficientindicator SKI. A training indicator TI can further be sent by theadjusting means 50 of the training means 51, which training indicator TIindicates the extent of the adjustment of the speech coefficientindicator SKI stored in the speech coefficient storage means 38. Thetraining indicator TI contains information about how often and in howmany words the speech coefficient indicator SKI stored in the speechcoefficient storage means 38 has already been adjusted to a user. Themore often the speech coefficient indicator SKI has been adjusted to auser, the better the recognition rate of the speech recognition deviceis for this user.

The speech recognition device includes transfer means 54 which enable toimport a speech coefficient indicator SKI and store the imported speechcoefficient indicator SKI in the speech coefficient storage means 38and/or export the speech coefficient indicator SKI stored in the speechcoefficient storage means 38. For this purpose, the user can inputtransfer information TRI by the keyboard 5 and send it to the transfermeans 54, which will be further discussed hereinafter.

With reference to a first example of application, the function isfurther explained of the dictation microphone 2, the foot switch 3 andthe dictating machine and speech recognition device formed by thecomputer. In accordance with the first example of application it isassumed that the user of the computer 1 would like to dictate a letterto order three computers of the “Quality” type with his acquaintance“John”. For this purpose, the user touches the record key 18 of thedictation microphone 2 and dictates “Dear John I herewith order threeQuality computers for my office Harry”. Audio information AIcorresponding to this voice information is then transmitted from thedictation microphone 2 as transmit data UD to the USB connecting means23 and is finally stored in the audio storage means 37. During thisoperation, the dictation microphone 2 and the computer 1 constitute adictating machine.

By actuating the record key 18 of the dictation microphone 2, controlinformation SI activating the speech recognition mode of the speechrecognition means 42 is applied by the dictation microphone 2 astransmit data UD over the USB connecting means 23 to the speechrecognition means 42. In the speech recognition mode activated in thespeech recognition means 42, the audio information AI stored in theaudio storage means 37 is read out and evaluated together with thespeech coefficient indicator SKI read from the speech coefficientstorage means 38. The speech recognition means 42 then determine aplurality of possible word sequences as possible text information PTIand store them in the possible-text storage means 44. For the first partof the audio information AI, the possible text information PTI couldcontain, for example, the word sequences “Hear John why”, “Dear John I”and “Bear John hi”.

The speech recognition means 42 determine the text information “DearJohn I herewith organ three Quality computers for my office Mary” asmost probable text information and deliver it as recognized-textinformation RTI to the recognized-text storage means 45. The utteredword “order” was erroneously recognized as the word “organ” and theuttered word “Harry” as the word “Mary”.

The recognized-text information RTI recognized by the speech recognitionmeans 42 and stored in the recognized-text storage means 45 is then readout by the text processing means 48 and displayed on the monitor 4. Theuser recognizes that the two uttered words “order” and “Harry” wererecognized erroneously and he/she would like to correct therecognized-text information RTI, because of which the user activateswith the input means 14 of the dictation microphone 2 the correctionmode of the speech recognition device.

When the correction mode is activated, the user can, by touching theaudio playback switch 25 of the foot switch 3, acoustically play backthe audio information AI stored in the audio storage means 37 by meansof the headphones or the loudspeaker 32, while the text informationrecognized from the audio information AI is featured on the monitor 4 insynchronism with the played back audio information AI. Such synchronousediting or correction has been known for a long time.

In a first type of correction of the recognized-text information RTI bythe user, the user corrects only the erroneously recognized words“organ” and “Mary” into the two originally uttered words “order” and“Harry” and corrected text information CTI is constructed in the textprocessing means 48 and stored in the corrected-text storage means 46.This corrected text information CTI stored in the corrected-text storagemeans 46 after the first correction step would be highly suitable foradjusting the speech coefficient indicator SKI. The words “order” and“Harry” uttered by the user in a further dictation would be correctlyrecognized in a next speech recognition operation with the previouslyadjusted speech coefficient indicator SKI.

As practice shows, users also make other corrections of a second typewhen the correction mode is activated. According to the first example ofapplication it has been assumed that the user now remembers that hewishes to order three computers of the “Standard” type, because of whichthe user inserts the word sequence “and three Standard computers” intothe already corrected text information CTI by means of the keyboard 5.Furthermore, the user copies a text A prior to the beginning of thealready corrected text information CTI, which text A contains theaddress of the letter to his acquaintance “John”. Finally, the usercopies a text B after the already corrected text information CTI in thecorrected text information CTI, which contains a foot note about agreeddiscount percentage customary with such orders.

The user then adds text parts to the recognized-text information RTI,which text parts do not have any connection with the voice informationuttered by the user during the dictation. Such text parts that must notbe evaluated for adjusting the phoneme reference information PRI,because no corresponding audio information AI has been stored in theaudio storage means 37. Furthermore, it is no good adjusting the contextinformation WI or the speech model data SMI with such text parts,because the text A and the text B are often contained in the user'scorrected text information CTI, but are hardly ever uttered by the userin dictations.

If the context information WI and the speech model data SMI were trainedwith text parts, which do not have any connection with the voiceinformation, for example the word sequence of the street name “HellRoad” contained in the text A of the address of the acquaintance Johnwould have a high probability of occurrence, because the user oftenwrites letters to John and always copies the address in the correctedtext information CTI. A word sequence “Hello Rod” uttered in a dictationwould, however, be easily recognized erroneously, because the wordsequence “Hello Rod” in the speech model storage means 40 would have arelatively lower probability of occurrence than the word sequence “Hellroad”, although the word sequence “Hello Rod” occurs relativelyfrequently in the user's dictations.

After the user has made all the corrections desired by him and after thecorrected text information CTI has been stored in the corrected-textstorage means 46, the user touches a key of the keyboard 15 of thedictation microphone 2 to activate the adjustment mode of the speechrecognition device and adjust the speech coefficient indicator SKI ofthe speech recognition device. The dictation microphone 2 then appliesrespective control information SI to the speech recognition means 42 viathe USB connection means 23.

In the adjustment mode activated in the speech recognition device, theadjusting means 50 are arranged for reading the audio information AIstored in the audio storage means 37, such as the possible textinformation PTI, recognized-text information RTI and corrected textinformation CTI stored in the text storage means 43. Furthermore, thetext comparing means 52 in the activated adjustment mode, are arrangedfor providing the adjustment table 53 shown in FIG. 4, to determine atext part of the corrected text information CTI that is suitable foradjusting the speech coefficient indicator SKI.

For this purpose, first the recognized-text information RTI and thecorrected text information CTI is written in the adjustment table 53,while erroneously recognized words as well as corrected and insertedwords and text parts are represented in bold type. The text comparingmeans 52 are provided for comparing the recognized-text information RTIand the corrected text information CTI and for featuring correspondingwords by grey fields at the respective position of the adjustment table53. The text part having the words “three computers” of therecognized-text information RTI is found twice in the corrected textinformation CTI.

Furthermore, the text comparing means 52, when comparing therecognized-text information RTI and the corrected text information CTI,are provided for determining a correspondence indicator CI for each textpart. The text comparing means 52 then determine how many matching wordsfeatured by a grey field a text part contains. Furthermore, the textcomparing means 52 determine penalty points for each text part, with onepenalty point being awarded for each insertion, deletion or substitutionof a word in the corrected text information CTI. The correspondenceindicator CI of the text part is determined from the number of thecorresponding words and penalty points of a text part.

In the text comparing means 52 is determined a minimum value MW for thecorrespondence indicator CI, which minimum value is fallen short of whenfor a text part more than three penalty points are awarded forcorrections of adjacent words of the corrected text information CTI. Forthe adjustment of the speech coefficient indicator SKI, only text partsare used whose correspondence indicator CI exceeds the minimum value MW.

The text comparing means 52 evaluate the adjustment table 53 andrecognize that all the words of the text A and of the text B wereinserted into the corrected text information CTI, because of which thetext comparing means 52 award to the text A and the text B a number ofpenalty points that corresponds to the number of words of text A and oftext B. The text comparing means 52 therefore apply a correspondenceindicator CI for the text A and the text B to the adjusting means 50,which indicator value is smaller than the minimum value MW. This offersthe advantage that a text part of the corrected text information CTI,which part has absolutely no connection with the voice information, isnot used for the adjustment of the speech coefficient indicator SKI.

According to the adjustment table 53, text parts which can be used foran adjustment of the speech coefficient indicator SKI are not dwellingon a path P1 and a path P2 of the corrected text information CTI.

The path P1 contains a first text part “Dear John I herewith”, whichdoes not get any penalty points from the text comparing means 52 andwhose correspondence indicator therefore exceeds the minimum value MW.The path P1 contains a second text part “order three Quality computersand” after the first text part, which second text part is awarded fivepenalty points (1) to (5) for the insertion of the words “order threeQuality computers” and the substitution of the word “and” for the word“organ”, and whose correspondence indicator therefore falls short of theminimum value MW. The path P1 contains after the second text part athird text part “three Standard computers for my office Harry” which isawarded only one penalty point (6) for the insertion of the word“Standard” and whose correspondence indicator CI therefore exceeds theminimum value MW. The path P1 therefore contains the first and the thirdtext part which are in principle suitable for an adjustment of thespeech coefficient indicator SKI.

The path P2 contains a fourth text part “Dear John I herewith orderthree Quality computers”, which obtains only one penalty point (1) fromthe text comparing means 52 for the substitution of the word “order” forthe word “organ”, and whose correspondence indicator CI thereforeexceeds the minimum value MW. The path P2 contains after the fourth textpart a fifth text part “and three Standard computers”, which obtainsfour penalty points (2) to (5) for the insertion of this word and whosecorrespondence indicator therefore falls short of the minimum value MW.The path P2 contains after the fifth text part a sixth text part “for myoffice Harry”, which is awarded one penalty point (6) for thesubstitution of the word “Harry” for the word “Mary” and whosecorrespondence indicator CI exceeds the minimum value MW. The path P2therefore contains the fourth and the sixth text parts which aresuitable, in principle, for an adjustment of the speech coefficientindicator SKI.

The text comparing means 52 are provided for determining the text partsof the path P1 or P2 that have the largest summed correspondenceindicator SCI. For this purpose, the text comparing means 52 determinethat nine words of the path P1 and ten words of the path P2 of thecorrected text information CTI completely correspond with the words ofthe recognized-text information RTI and are featured as a grey field inthe adjustment table 53. Furthermore, the text comparing means 52 add upthe penalty points of each path, where seven penalty points aredetermined for the path P1 and six penalty points for the path P2.

Finally, the text comparing means 52 determine that the text informationof the path P2 having ten corresponding words and only six penaltypoints have a larger summed correspondence with the recognized-textinformation RTI and supply a respectively higher summed correspondenceindicator SCI for the text parts of the path P2 to the adjusting means50.

This offers the advantage that for the adjustment of the speechcoefficient indicator SKI words corrected according to a first type ofcorrection—such as, for example, “order” and “Harry”—are used for theadjustment and text parts corrected according to the second type ofcorrection—such as, for example, “and three Standard computers” that donot have any connection with the voice information—are not used for theadjustment. As a result, the speech coefficient indicator SKI isadjusted very rapidly and well to the peculiarities of the pronunciationof a user and typical formulation of a user, while a particularly goodrecognition rate of the speech recognition device is achieved.

The adjusting means 50 in the adjustment mode activated in the speechrecognition device are arranged, after the summed correspondenceindicator SCI is received from the text comparing means 52, for readingthe text parts of the path P2 of the connected text information CTI fromthe corrected-text storage means 46 and for evaluating these text parts.

For adjusting the context information WI, to the frequency meter values,of which each one is assigned to a word of the fourth and sixth textparts “Dear”, “John”, “I”, . . . “Harry” of the word “order” P2, andstored together with the respective word in the context storage means39, the frequency meter value features the probability of occurrence ofthe respective word in a dictation of the user. When a word of the textpart used for the adjustment is dictated by the user for the first time,it is stored in the context storage means 39 together with the value “1”of a frequency meter.

For adjusting the speech model data SMI stored in the speech modelstorage means 40, for example, the stored frequency meter value assignedto the word sequence “I herewith order” is increased by the value “1” tofeature a higher probability of occurrence of such a formulation in adictation of the user.

For adjusting the phoneme reference information PRI stored in thephoneme reference storage means 41, only those words of the fourth andsixth text parts of the word sequence P2 are evaluated in combinationwith the associated audio information AI that fully correspond to a wordof the recognized-text information RTI and are featured in theadjustment table 53 by a grey field. In addition, also words of thepossible text information PTI with the associated audio information AIcan be evaluated. For this purpose, the adjusting means 50 check whethera word (“order”, “Harry”) substituted by the user with the first type ofcorrection is stored for this part of the audio information AI in thepossible-text storage means 44. If such a word is found in thepossible-text storage means 44, also this word with the associated audioinformation AI is evaluated for adjusting the phoneme referenceinformation PRI.

Adjustable information NI containing these adjustments is then appliedby the adjusting means 50 to the speech coefficient storage means 38 foradjusting the speech coefficient indicator SKI. Similarly, the adjustingmeans 50 apply a training indicator TI to the transfer means 54, whichindicator features with how many words the speech coefficient indicatorSKI already stored in the speech coefficient storage means 38 hasalready been trained. This offers the advantage that by means of thetraining indicator TI it is immediately clear whether the speechrecognition device has already been adjusted well to a user and willthus in all probability have a good recognition rate for this user.

According to a second example of application it is assumed that the userof the speech recognition device formed by the computer 1 additionallyhas a second computer which forms a second speech recognition device.The user would obviously like to achieve an equally good recognitionrate on the second speech recognition device as he has already achievedwith the speech recognition device formed by the computer 1, whosespeech recognition information SKI he has trained for several months.

For this purpose, the user actuates a key of the keyboard 5 after whichtransfer information TRI is delivered by the keyboard 5 to the transfermeans 54. The transfer means 54 are then used for reading the speechcoefficient indicator SKI stored in the speech coefficient storage means38. The transfer means 54 are further used for storing the read speechcoefficient indicator SKI and the training indicator TI of the speechcoefficient indicator SKI on a disk 55 inserted into a disk drive of thecomputer 1.

This offers the advantage that a speech coefficient indicator SKI storedin the speech coefficient storage means 38 and already trained by theuser can be exported from the computer 1. Furthermore, the speechcoefficient indicator SKI can be imported into the user's secondcomputer. As a result, a user can further use a speech coefficientindicator SKI trained by him in as many other computers as he likes,which computers form a speech recognition device that corresponds to thespeech recognition device shown in FIG. 1, and obtain in this manneralso with these computers a good recognition rate of the speechrecognition device.

Advantageously, when a speech coefficient indicator SKI is exported, thetraining indicator TI of the speech coefficient indicator SKI isexported along, while, when the speech coefficient indicator SKI isimported from the transfer means 54 there can be verified for the timebeing whether the speech coefficient indicator SKI to be imported hasalready been better trained than the speech coefficient indicator SKIstored in the speech coefficient storage means 38. The transfer means 54import the speech coefficient indicator SKI only in the case where thetest proves that the speech coefficient indicator SKI to be imported hasalready been better trained than the speech coefficient indicator SKIstored in the speech coefficient storage means 38.

According to a third example of application it is assumed that thecomputer 1 forms an Internet server connected to the Internet and isconnected to the Internet by a connection 56 of the computer 1. It isfurther assumed that the user of a further computer, which forms adictating machine, has queried text information from a home page of theInternet server stored in home page storage means 57 of the computer 1,and that this text information was delivered to the further computersvia the connection 56 of the computer 1. This text information from thehome page contains link information with which further text informationstored in the home page storage means 57 can be queried, as this isgenerally done. The speech recognition device of the Internet servershown in FIG. 1 enables the user of the further computer to activatelink information shown on the home page by voice information fed by thefurther computer.

According to the third example of application it is further assumed thatthe user would like to activate the link information “hotels” shown onthe home page. For this purpose, the user actuates a record key of adictation microphone of the further computer and pronounces the voiceinformation “hotel” into the microphone of the dictation microphone.Audio information AI contained in this voice information is applied tothe computer 1 via its connection 56 and the audio information AI isstored in the audio storage means 37. In the speech recognition mode ofthe speech recognition device of the computer 1 activated by this voiceinformation, the word “hotels” is recognized as recognized-textinformation RTI by the speech recognition means 42, and the textinformation assigned to this link information is carried from the homepage storage means 57 via the connection 56 of the computer 1 to theuser's further computer.

Before the speech recognition mode is activated, the speech coefficientindicator SKI exported by the further computer and applied to theconnection 56 via the Internet is now advantageously imported in thecomputer 1 by the transfer means 54. As a result, the Internet serverformed by the computer 1 is adjusted to the respective user, which iswhy an extremely high recognition rate is achieved.

It may be observed that the speech coefficient indicator SKI of a usercan be co-transmitted with each audio information AI transmitted to theInternet server. However, it is particularly advantageous to transmit tothe Internet server the speech coefficient indicator SKI of a user onlythe first time the home page of the Internet server is queried, and tostore the speech coefficient indicator SKI in the Internet server forthis user. With each further reception of audio information AI from thefurther computer of this user, the Internet server can use the alreadystored speech coefficient indicator SKI for the speech recognition.

It may be observed that the adjustment mode for adjusting the speechcoefficient indicator SKI can also be activated automatically aftercorrected text information CTI has been stored, or by the user via a keyof the keyboard 5 of the computer 1.

It may be observed that there are also other possibilities ofdetermining a correspondence value of a text part or a summedcorrespondence value of text parts of a path than the possibilitiesdescribed with reference to the example of embodiment. Furthermore, theconclusion that the minimum value MW is fallen short of when threeconsecutive penalty points are awarded is only to be understood as anexample. Similarly, a number of penalty points exceeding a certainnumber of penalty points in a certain number of words of a text partcould also be defined as a falling short of the minimum value MW.

It may be observed that for adjusting the speech coefficient indicatorSKI it may also be advantageous to use only certain sections of a textpart which is in principle suitable for adjusting the speech coefficientindicator SKI, the determination of which text part being explained withreference to the first example of embodiment for adjusting the speechcoefficient indicator SKI. For example, only words are used to which apenalty point was awarded by the text comparing means 52 and wordsfeatured in the adjustment table 53 by a grey field adjacent thesewords.

This offers the advantage that words (“order”, “Harry”) recognizedwrongly during the speech recognition operation and corrected(substituted) by the user, and words adjacent these words are used forthe adjustment. Sections of the corrected text information CTI of textparts in principle suitable for the adjustment, which fully correspondto the recognized-text information RTI, are not used here for theadjustment, because these sections may not have been corrected by theuser at all.

It may be observed that input means of a handheld input device may alsobe arranged for applying control information to a computer, to call thecomputer up from a power-save mode to an active mode.

It may be observed that also a foot-operated input device may be used ingeneral for activating operating modes in the computer. The computercould form a television receiver and a television channel could beselected by the foot switch, on which channel a television broadcast isreceived which is displayed by the monitor.

It may be observed that also a microphone or a loudspeaker, to which USBconnecting means of the input device can be connected, can be connectedto a foot-operated input device, when the microphone or the loudspeakeralso has USB connecting means. In this case it is not necessary for thefoot-operated input device to comprise audio processing means, because,for delivering an analog audio signal, audio processing means are thenarranged in the microphone and the loudspeaker.

It may be observed that a digital data bus link can also be formed by aradio frequency radio link such as, for example, in accordance with theBluetooth Specification (Bluetooth Special Interest Group, May 1998).This offers the advantage that no cable link is necessary any longerbetween the input device and a computer.

It may be observed that also a loudspeaker can be connected to the firstconnection 33 of the foot switch 3.

1. A foot-operated input unit for use with a computer to enable adictating machine, the foot-operated input unit comprising: a processorconfigured to (1) enable foot-operated control information input foroperation of the dictating machine, (2) enable a connection forconnecting the foot-operated input unit to the computer, wherein controlinformation is delivered to the computer using the connection, and (3)enable a digital data bus link coupled to the connection, wherein aconnection device is arranged for receiving the audio information asdigital audio data from the computer and delivering the controlinformation as control data to the computer using the digital data buslink; and a headphone or loudspeaker directly connected to thefoot-operated input unit, wherein audio information from the dictatingmachine is delivered to headphones or loudspeaker.
 2. An input unit asclaimed in claim 1, wherein an audio processor processes the audioinformation received from the connection and delivers an analog audiosignal for the headphones or loudspeaker respectively, to theconnection.
 3. An input unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein theconnection is arranged for setting up a USB data link.
 4. An input unitas claimed in claim 1, wherein a loudspeaker is provided and the audioprocessor is arranged for delivering the analog audio single to built-inloudspeaker.
 5. An input unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein theconnection is arranged for setting up a digital data bus link over aradio-frequency radio link.
 6. An input unit as claimed in claim 5,wherein the connection is arranged for setting up a radio-frequencyradio link corresponding to Bluetooth protocol.